start menu articles

As users of the Windows 10 Technical Preview will know, Windows 10 brings back the Start menu after a lengthy hiatus. The revitalized Start menu includes both a traditional list of desktop applications with a search bar, like we saw…

Microsoft just wrapped up its Windows 10 event in Redmond with plenty of new and exciting features on display. Chief among the big announcements is the fact that Windows 10 will be a free update to those currently running...

Microsoft’s Windows 10 event, the one that was rumored for next month, is now official. The company on Thursday revealed that said event will take place after the Consumer Electronics Show on January 21 on Microsoft's campus in Redmond, Washington.
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A couple of German tech sites have published nearly two dozen Windows 9 “Threshold” screenshots. The images allegedly come from the “Windows Technical Preview,” a version of the operating system that is expected to be available later this month.
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Windows 9, codenamed internally at Microsoft as 'Threshold', is still a while away from hitting even the release candidate stage, but that hasn't stopped some fresh images of the operating system leaking out.

Microsoft made several desktop-friendly tweaks to Windows 8.1 Update 1 and the much-anticipated return of the Start menu was supposedly slated for Update 2 later this year. According to a ZDNet report, however, the company has decided to hold off…

At Microsoft's Build 2014 developer conference in San Francisco, the company announced that the next update to Windows will launch on April 8. Windows 8.1 Update 1 is largely geared towards mouse and keyboard users through a range of tweaks…

One of the significant changes made in Windows 8 was the removal of the Start menu, which was a major feature of every version of Windows from Windows 95 to Windows 7. However if the latest report from Microsoft expert…

Microsoft is attempting a middle of the road compromise in response to one of the main complaints users have had with Windows 8: it’s set to bring back the Start button to the desktop. But rather than triggering the old…

Formerly known as Windows Blue, Windows 8.1 is shaping up to be a sizeable update for Windows 8. However, if Microsoft's blog post is any indication, the service pack-like upgrade remains ostensibly focused on touchscreen users with nearly all of…

We first heard rumors about a possible comeback of the Start menu button in Windows 8.1 last week, but now sources speaking to The Verge have confirmed that this will indeed be the case, only it’s probably not what most…

Microsoft may be ready to address two of the most common complaints about Windows 8 with its upcoming “Blue” update. Specifically, The Verge cites sources familiar with the company’s plans who claim builds of Windows 8.1 are being tested with…

Besides not offering a way to bypass the new Windows 8 Start screen (not without the help of third-party utilities), surprisingly Microsoft is also limiting your options when it comes to customizing its appearance. You can choose from a couple color schemes and 10 stock background images, but that's about it. We've seen some workarounds before but they are cumbersome and the results are less than optimal.

Enter Decor8. Stardock’s Windows 8 customization app removes this limitation by giving users the ability to pick any picture they want as the Start screen background.

Windows 8’s touch-focused Metro interface has been met with quite a bit of resistance from longtime desktop users. But Microsoft’s not backing down. The company has made a risky but necessary bet to gain a strong foothold into the tablet…

With the announcement of Windows 8 reaching its RTM milestone, the final and polished version of the OS has been finding its way to various unauthorized channels of distribution. According to individuals who have managed to procure Microsoft's "latest and…

Although every product deserves healthy criticism, many opinions of Windows 8 seem to be based on misconceptions, especially when it comes to the viability of Metro as a Start menu replacement. For the record, I don't care if you skip the update -- hell, I might pass on it too -- nor do I care if it's the most failtastic operating system in Windows' 26-year history.

However, I believe your opinion should be formed by facts, not irrational rhetoric parroted online by so-called power users and companies that want to sell you third-party programs. The truth is, functionally speaking, Metro is basically identical to the Start menu.

I've been running the Windows 8 Consumer Preview for a few months and although I'm okay with Metro replacing the Start Menu, I hate seeing the new interface by default every time I reboot. When Windows 7 starts, you hit a login screen (assuming it's enabled) and then you're brought straight to the desktop.

When Windows 8 starts, it displays a lock screen that you have to move out of the way before entering your credentials, and then you have to dismiss the Metro interface before accessing the desktop. Like I said, I'm cool with Metro, but I have no desire to see a full-screen Start Menu when I log into my PC.

One of the biggest gripes that longtime Windows users have with the upcoming OS release is Microsoft's decision to pull the classic Start menu to make way for a new Metro start screen. Many have called out the company for…

Microsoft will not be adding back the Start button in Windows 8, but will likely include a tutorial to help desktop/laptop PC users get used to the new OS. That's according to investment banking firm Nomura, which hosted meetings this week for investors with Tami Reller...

One of the biggest gripes that longtime Windows users have with the latest -- still in development -- operating system release is Microsoft's decision to pull the classic Start menu to make way for a new Metro start screen filled…